Automatic sprinkler.



G. I. ROCKWO0D. AUTOMATIC SPBINKLEB. Aruonxon nun um: a, 1901.

Patnted Mar. 8, 1910. y

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GEORGE I. Rockwool), or' `W ORCESTER, rIVIASSACHUSETIIS.

i, -Atrrolvrnrro vsrrerlvn'nrne..

To. all 'whom "it may concern:

Beit known that I, Grenen I, Rocnwoon, a citizen `of the United States, residing at orce'ster, inthe county of lVorcester and Conunonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Sprinklers, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an automatic sprinkler tion and having one of its arms removed in order to vdisclose the cap retaining device. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation 'of my inisprinlrler shown in central sectional view.- Fig. 3 is a sidev elevation vof my improved sprinkler with` one .of its arms removed, and having the cap retaining device shown in vertical sectional view showing the position of the several parts of the cap re# taining Vdevice .whenever its soldered members have become separated without fusion, and Figs. 4 and 5 show detached perspective views of the twolinembers forming the strut of the cap retaining device.

Similar reference figures refer to `similar .parts in the different views.

L. My present invention relates to that class `of automatic ysprinklers in which nozzleis closed by a cap normally held in positionunder pressure by a cap retaining device containing a' fusible member that allows the cap,y retaining device to collapse under the' pressure applied when a predetermined degree of heat has been reached, and it has for its objects to provide against the premature release of water before the predeterminedl degree o of heat has been reached and further to provide a telltale by which the freezing of the water in the pipes 'cted, and I accomplish these o1 may be dete vjects by the construction and-arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and pointed out in the annexed claims. s

Referring to the accompanying drawings 1 denotes a4 nozzle provided with a screw thread 2 by which it may be connected with a pipe containing water under pressure. The nozzle-1 isprovided onl diametrically opposite sides With vertical arms 3, supporting at their upper ends a collar 4 having an' internal screw thread 6, in which is journaled a spindle 7 having its lower end or-tip' 8 coincident with the axis of the nozzle 1 and fitting a recess 9 in the upper surface of a horizontal lever 10.

. Specification of Letters' Patent. Application filed .Tune 3,n 1967.

embodying my inven v19 at the lower len( a 'water 5. to receive a diffuser ialtented'arar. 8, 1910.

serial no. avesse.

14 which rests upon and closes the -upper end of the nozzle 1. The end of the lever x 10 farthestfrom the recess 9 is supported upon the upper end ofa brace or strut 15, comprising two pieces 16 and 17 having contacting surfaces 1S which are soldered together by a fusible solder melting at a predetermined degree of heat, -preferably approximating 160. "l`he lower-- endv of the strut-piece 17 is su portedupon a shoulder of the post 11, and the upper end ofthe strut-piece 16 is received in a recess'upon the under side of the horizontal lever 10. ,Thel diffuser 6 is screwed .downward inthe collar 4 to apply a pressure 'through the cap retaining' device to hold the cap 14 against the pressure of water in the'nozzle 1 until a predetermined degree of heat, say 160, has been reached, when the two strut-pieces 16 and 17 become Aseparated by the melting of the fusible solder'between their contacting surfaces 18, causing the collapse of the cap retaining device, consisting of the lever 10, post 11 and strut-15, thereby releasing the cap -14 and allowing, a currentof water to bethrown upward against thediffuser 6.

Itisone of the objects ofmy present invention to provide means for preventing the premature release of 'the cap 14, and the -odamage consequent lfrom the .flow of water due to the separation of the strut` pieces 16 and 17. by means of the pressure applied thereto before ,the degree of. heat has beenf reached sufficient i der, and I accomplish this resultby proriding the two strut-pieces 16 and 17 with compressing surfaces 21 4and 22 at substantially right angles to the line of pressure between the opposite ends of the strut 15, and I fill the space between the compress ingsurfaces 21 and-22 material 23=capableof being fused at the predetermined degree of heat required for the complete collapse of the cap retaining device. In casethe Contactin Surfaces 18 of the strut-pieces 16 and 17 gbeeome separated before the uniting solder 'is melted, the strut-piece 16 will assume the position shown in Fig. 3, due to the pressure exert-v ed .upon the lever 10 producing. a slight "compression of' the compressi-ble material to melt the sol- 9 of noncorrosive materialto prevent 4the adv`liesionL of the cap 'and nozzle by ozridization,` and I recess the under'side of .the-cap 14 at' the central part ofthe nation in-af'cap "retaining ing the lever'lO. to fall', slightly, thereby` reexerted upontlfieinp 14 and resisted by thev The-co.mpressible piece 23- then be-jv e ing'h'eld between thecompressing surfaces 22,1 and-22 and in the lne"ofpressure resist ved -by' fthe" strut serves 'being i0 thev degree vof pressiblel-'material-23 has been reached, when 4which thestrutfpieces' I 25 inV orderxto leave disk :24; unsupported 4exerted beneath it. 3.0'

' .sure,.b'ut case the pipe becomes frozen the the spa tale to indicate whether the water nozzles 'have been frozen s1 betweenthefsurfaces and '22 land allow?.

leasingjaportion' of the `pressure normally to hold the cap 145 thrown off the nozzle l. 'until` heat required :to fuse the comtlie'" complete collapse ofthe cap' retaining deviceis accomplished, allowing the cap 14 to -beliffted andthe stream' of water to be "thrownv against lthe diffuser 6. While the parts' ofthe` ca`p retaining device are in thepositionI sho inFig. 3 the pressureupen "therapie-will be sufliciently' reduced to allow a slight leaking'- around the cap,which willfin'dicate the particular sprinkler '1n iave vbeen imperfectlyunited. l.

v Benea h'the cap lll-I- insertla thin disk'24 contacting surfaces parallel with the line of strain and .arranged to separate at a predetermined degree of heat, of a fusible material arranged to .resist the strain `rationof saidbrace. j

'3L In an automatic sprinkler, a cap *re-r Aa composite 'material between them.

matic sprinkler,

I capa sible -at a predetermined--degree of heat be-v tween surd'compressing surfaces, arranged resist the Vstrain upon said brace after the .separation4 of said parallel i surfaces. v

etermined ldegree of. heat, ,thereby releasing -said..cap, of'fusible means arranged to ofsaid cap taining device, .comprisin brace having surfaces para el with the line p of strain exertedI uponsaid'brace b y -said cap vand united by solder' fusible ata predetermined 'degree -ofheatfand surfaces atv right angles to said line of strain after said.

parallel surfaces are separated with fusible Ll. In a cap retaining device for anl auto-y brace in two'- pieces v having surfaces parallel with the line of 'strain exerted upon said after the sepa# 2. Inan automatic sprinkler, the combination inl a cap retaining ldevice with a com'l 4posite-brace arranged to-separate A"at a prel 65. thev combination. with a' brace byvsaid cap and united by solder fusible 'at 4a predetermined degree,.of heat, each. piece a so having'an arm arranged to beat right angles to said line of strain when I said parallel surfaces are separated, anda.

piece of fusible material between-said arms arranged to prevent their a'pprc'izn'zhl when said parallel surfaces are separated. l 5, In a cap retainingdevice vfor an auto-L matic sprinkler,` the combination vwith a brace comprisingvtwo .pieces havin compressing surfaces at riglitangles to t efline.

of strain exerted upon the brace by said of a piece of compressible material futo -res1st the strain upon said compressing.'

surfaces tendine to collapse'the brace. y, GEORGE I. Rockwool). .VVitnesseszA PnNnLorn' COMBERBACH, ,Burns B. Fownnix. 

